KATHMANDU, JULY 20

The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology has issued flood alerts across major river basins in the country, and inside Kathmandu valley as it has forecast heavy rain for the next few days until July 23.

The country saw heavy rainfall across the country including Kathmandu valley, in the last 24 hours, and water level in the major rivers also increased, as per DoHM.

Sarju Kumar Baidhya, Director General of DoHM, said the monsoon trough, which was responsible for creating the rains, had remained just over Nepal since last night and was likely to remain here for the next few days.

He further said the monsoon trough normally oscillated from Delhi in India to the Northern side of Bay of Bengal, and would continue its regular pattern after July 23.

This pattern has created heavy rainfall in the country.

Kolvi area of Bara saw 169.2 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours until 5:00pm today. Similarly, Gorkha saw 159 mm, Danda area of Nawalparasi saw 143 mm and Syamghar area of Tanahun district saw 159 mm rainfall.

Rainfall ranging from 51 mm to 100 mm is called heavy rain while rainfall between 101 mm to 200 mm is called very heavy rain and rainfall ranging above 200 mm is called extremely heavy rainfall. Extremely heavy rainfall occurs seldom in the country.

This amount of rainfall seen in the last 24 hours is enough to increase the water level in the rivers to create havoc around the banks of the river, according to Baidhya.

Different places in Kathmandu valley have also seen heavy rainfall in the last 24 hours until 5:00pm today. Godavari recorded 92.2 mm rainfall, Sundarijal saw 91.8 mm rainfall, Khumaltaar recorded 62.2 mm rainfall, Babarmahal had 58.2 mm and Nagarkot had 49.8 mm rainfall.

Continuous rainfall has increased the water level in the Narayani River and the DoHM has issued red alert in the settlements near the river banks in Chitwan and Nawalparasi districts.

“We have sent SMS to people living in the area, and notified local media in the area to circulate the message,” Shakya said. He also said security agencies had been continuously updating themselves to take necessary action if required.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on July 21, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.